Earlier this summer there was turmoil at the National Book Critics Circle; most of its board resigned after internal dissension over its anti-racism statement. Board member Carlin Romano had objected to some claims in the statement via an email, which was then posted on Twitter by another member (we briefly covered it here). As NBCC’s board reorganized and reformed, it was widely expected that Romano would be removed.
Not so. Refusing to leave of his own volition and reportedly threatening to sue, Romano has remained on the board after a special vote. Two-thirds of NBCC members would have had to vote to remove him; 62 percent did so. Romano will continue to serve until his term is up in 2022. As a result, former members have indicated they might organize a new association, and the group appears destined to splinter. Publishers Weekly has a detailed report that includes all sides of the issue.
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.
Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.
